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Siege of Gondor
The Siege of Gondor, also known as the Siege of Minas Tirith, occurred in the year TA 3019 when Sauron's army besieged the city of Minas Tirith during the War of the Ring. The siege, though nearly successful, was broken by the arrival of Théoden and the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. History Background The War of the Ring was declared on June 20, 3018 when the forces of Mordor attacked the city of Osgiliath; however, the son of steward Denethor II drove the enemy to the east bank of the river and destroyed the great bridge of the city. Nine months passed after the skirmish in Osgiliath when Sauron's ally Saruman sent forth a large army to destroy the people of Rohan. They were, however, defeated by the forces of the Rohirrim in the Battle of the Hornburg.The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Book Three, Chapter VII: "Helm's Deep" After this decisive victory, Sauron knew his strike must come swiftly and potently. Aragorn revealed himself to Sauron through the Palantír of Orthanc, which spurred the Dark Lord into action, making him send his armies before the full force was prepared. He decided to release his long-prepared army in hopes of annihilating his greatest enemy, Gondor. Due to the threat of a huge fleet of Corsair warships gathering in Umbar, the allied forces of Gondor sent far fewer people to aid them than expected in preparation of invasion from the sea.The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Book Three, Chapter X: "The Voice of Saruman" Prelude There was no dawn between March 9 and 10. This was the day which is called the "Dawnless Day". A large cloud from Mordor silently crept over the lands of Rohan and Gondor, covering the sunlight and preventing it from penetrating the clouds. Sauron's purpose was to instill fear amongst the Army of the West, and also to ease the passing of his minions.The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter I: "Minas Tirith" On that same day, an army from the Black Gate emerged and captured the island of Cair Andros. The purpose was two-fold: to prevent the Rohirrim from entering Anorien, and at the same time to guard the northern regions of Gondor. The Muster of Rohan, led by King Theoden, left the camp of Dunharrow, the Beacons of Gondor being lit one day prior.The Lord of the Rings,'' The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter III: "The Muster of Rohan" During the Dawnless Day, the Ring-bearer Frodo Baggins, his servant Samwise, and their guide, Gollum, approached Minas Morgul. When they arrived, they saw a red flash emanating from beyond the eastern mountains- probably from Orodruin-, which was answered by lightning and blue flame issuing from Minas Morgul and the surrounding hills. The Witch-king of Angmar emerged from the city on a black horse, accompanied by an army stated to be larger than any that departed from the vale since the time of Isildur. This was the smaller of Sauron the Great's forces; the larger host issuing forth from the Black Gate.The Lord of the Rings,'' The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. IV: "The Siege of Gondor" Fall of Osgiliath On March 9, Faramir sent his forces to reinforce the garrison at Osgiliath, expecting a large blow from the enemy. After giving a report to Denethor, he left on March 11 to command the garrison. That night, they were attacked. On March 12, Faramir retreated to the Causeway Forts. Once there, he did his best to hold the rearguard, lest the retreat turn into a rout. However, he was wounded on the approach back to Minas Tirith by a foul dart of the enemy.The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter IV: "The Siege of Gondor" The siege Upon arriving at the city, the enemy sprawled before the greatest of all walls. They quickly put up siege equipment and dug trenches. Wasting almost no time, the siege began, eventually breaching the wall of the city- the Rammas Echor. The wall, built in the days of the splendor of the men of the west, was thought to be impregnable. The siege engines of the enemy, while not penetrating it, were able to launch incendiary missiles into the lower city, setting it ablaze. The great gates of Minas Tirith were not to be underestimated, and after prolonged failure, the enemy brought out a great and terrible battering ram, called Grond in homage to the Hammer of the Underworld, the weapon of Sauron's master, Morgoth. A large force was sent to guard the northern roads against possible reinforcements from Rohan. It put trenches and stakes on the road, enough to halt any charge. Denethor was distraught, and refused to lead the people, as he thought the entire city was to be destroyed, and Faramir was doomed to die. Denethor refused to give any command, resulting in Gandalf commanding the defenders. Thousands of orcs and hundreds of soldiers of Gondor were killed during a prolonged crossfire. Large siege towers rolled onwards to the walls, but were mainly a distraction and a test of Gondor's strength. The main assault was launched against the Gate - the only vulnerable point in the wall. Thus, the Enemy began using Grond, a battering weapon a hundred feet in length, drawn by great beasts and wielded by hordes of Mountain-trolls. The might of the great weapon was truly shown, as it only took three strikes to obliterate the gate. The Witch-king entered the city, with all fleeing before him, save Gandalf upon Shadowfax. At this exact moment, the horns of the Rohirrim sounded, forcing the Witch-king to leave to confront this new foe.The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter IV: "The Siege of Gondor" References Category:Sieges Category:War of the Ring